Monday, November 20, 2017

Board gaming / Pax Unplugged

Boardgaming.....

My Family likes playing games and it is a great way to meet people, and interact socially. So we found out that was a gaming store local to us, so we have been going there... I always like to support local merchants as long as the price difference is not greater then $10... that is my savings cap. and for some items the cap is larger

I also cap my willingness to spend money on a game as to how many people you realistically need to play the game vs my wallet.. Needless to say, this has kept me from by the Firefly board game (I hear it is awesome, but at $50, + the expansions... not truly interested in the game

So, my main Gaming base is Caffeinated Gaming, less than 10 minutes from my house. Tom is great so spend a few or more dollars if go to support them..

We have a board game night on Thursday and special game nights a couple of times a Month


1202 N Gravel Pike Suite 100 
        Zieglerville 19492





https://www.facebook.com/caffeinatedgamingstore/


So every week we play games and try different games. both of my daughter love to go and try games

At one of our sessions, Eric was Demoing 

Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle A Cooperative Deck Building Game


It is a game for up to 4 players and it helps to have someone run the game and watch to keep track of everything overall

Eric was wearing his Double Exposure Envoy shirt... I know them from going to Conventions such as Dexcon and Dreamation.. It was Eric who suggested I email Vinnie and setup with a game company for doing demos at Pax

Join the Envoy Program here:



PAX UNPLUGGED

Originally, I was not going to go to Pax Unplugged... When I first heard about it, I emailed them to see if they or when they would be looking for people to Run Role Playing Games and got a polite No Thank you... 

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Hey Greg,

Thanks a lot for your interest in Unplugged!

We are partnered with a few groups who GM for us at PAX shows, so we are not recruiting at the moment. Things might change however as we get closer to the show and our events schedule takes a little more shape. If you aren’t already, I would sign up for the newsletter on our website so that you can be notified if things change.

Let me know any other questions!

Best,

Ryan XXXXXXX | ReedPOP | (Title Removed)
PAX Unplugged | PAX East | PAX Dev | PAX West | PAX South
T: (203) 840-5387 | F: (203) 840-9387 | E: ryanXXX@reedpop.com
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Ok, not a show I want to pay money for to go play games run by people who are given a game to run and barely read them....(That is how I feel about most GMs that are recruited from my experience)

So after hooking up with Vinnie and doing a Skype session... He hooked me up with USAopoly and Jake Davis, Marketing & Events Specialist

Soon after he sent me Codenames Disney and Super Mario Level up so I can get familiar for the Convention

 


So My kids and I played around with them and then I brought them to the game night before the show

I also had a change to Play   - The Thing™ Infection at Outpost 31 - at a Wednesday Game night

Gamers Heaven Facebook Page





So I was well prepared to Play games at PAX



The First Day was Saturday for me and I got there, changed into my Shirt after cleaning up and applying deodorant... walked around for 15 minutes, and stopped at 2 booths... Steve Jackson Games and Looney Labs



Then I started at the USAopoly booth at 10:00 AM.. before I knew it, it was 2:30 and I had not left the boot at all.. so I took 5 minutes to go to the men's room and then it was 5:30 before I knew it... 

Jack Berkenstock from The Bodhana Group dropped off some shirts for me so I can help Promote the Save Against Fear Convention in Harrisburg Next year 

I forgot I was trying to go to the Bodhana Panel "Bringing Characters To Life" and walked the expo hall until I remembered then went down to the panel for the final 1/2 hour




After the Panel we went to back to the Hotel with Jack and the crew and found a great space to play games... ended up playing Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle until after 11:00PM..then hit the train home

Sunday was another mass transit nightmare going in... arrive just before 10... Luckily my exhibitor pass allowed me to cruise right into the Expo hall and get my shirt on 

Sunday was kids day and I got to play with tons of kids.. of course I was doing Codenames: Disney and Super Mario Level up and had a ton of fun !!!

They brought Sandwiches in for us and did a coffee run.. they really took care of us... all weekend long 

I even got to walk around a bit more on Sunday and had friends drop by.. Luke from gaming group showed up and I got to teach him Codenames: Marvel.. he never played Codenames before and he is a huge marvel fan..


                    

They told me around 5 I could go, then asked me if I wanted a game... I selected The Thing and they set me up with a game and a bog and some promo stuff for my game nights... 


I got go buy some dice, and I forgot to go get other sets that I wanted

I went back to collect my stuff from our booth and they asked if I wanted another game... so I selected Codenames: Marvel

I successfully rolled my "Avoid Mass Transit" roll as Luke gave me a ride to my car... I treat my friends very well and this was rewarded 

I will add some final thoughts but here is the tiny gallery of Pictures not shown above


















Places To Play Games in the Area
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This is our  "Home" Store that we like to be at

                        Zieglerville 19492

https://www.facebook.com/caffeinatedgamingstore/


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Gamers Heaven Facebook Page


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Alternate Universes - East Norriton
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Local Meetup.com Board Game Groups
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https://www.meetup.com/GAME-20s-30s/     
This is the one we usually attend


https://www.meetup.com/Eastern-Montco-Game-Party-Meetup/

https://www.meetup.com/Bucks-County-Over-the-Hill-RPG-Gamers/

https://www.meetup.com/Gamers-Heaven-Tabletop-Game-Nights-Phoenixville/



Kick Starters and Projects

I have backed several Kickstarters and supported other projects: 

Sometimes, it requires a little Patience... Other times, it requires a Lot of Patience

I select the Kick starters I back based on several things:

1: What is the Project, do I really need it ?

I like dice, I tend to back more Dice projects than others. Don't get me wrong, I back game systems and Modules and board games.

2: What is the Backer Pledge ?

Hey, Everyone is concerned about getting the most for their money

3: When is the End Date ?

That is the date you get charged for the project

4: When is the Delivery date ?



5:  WHO is running the Kickstarter

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What is the Project, do I really need it ?


WHAT!? Pencil Dice
I backed these for the story behind the dice.. and the amusing story of what to look for in a failed Kickstarter.. good pointers for avoiding some pitfalls

The whole thing can read here:


The d12s you've always wanted: Mood and Weather dice!



These I backed because I like Cosmo Joe's stuff and the Pencil dice went so good. 
Unfortunately, there was an issue with my Kickstarter account (I had 2 and could not access one) so I double pledged this and it never got properly corrected to the level I pledged... 


Ernest Gary Gygax Jr.'s Marmoreal Tomb Campaign Starter

I pledged this for the name attached, It is late in delivery but I am confident, this will completed in the next few months... hopefully I can take delivery at GaryCon


Gunmetal Polyhedral RPG Dice In Complete Sets
These really do look as good as the picture... I had an issue with a chipped dice, but a replacement was sent ASAP and the issue resolved in an amazing fashion


Cortex Prime: A Multi-Genre Modular Roleplaying Game

I was looking at a system to run my next GaryCon game "The Pirates of Dark Water Lost Episode" and was considering a few systems that would require a purchase or rules adaption... this was one of them. Having played the Firefly RPG, I thought this would work... Cam banks assured me he would get the rules in my hands in plenty of time and I have gotten the working PDF that allowed me to write my game.. 


Top Secret: New World Order - the espionage roleplaying game
I backed this for the PDF, I have a credit with TSR from the Gygax Magazine folding that I am going to use to buy this after the Kickstarter.. I loved this game and the settings when it first came out so this was a no brainer to me...



These are a good sample of what I have backed